Xi Jinping Holds Telephone Talks at Request with President Donald Trump of the US

2018/03/09

On March 9, 2018, President Xi Jinping held telephone talks at request with President Donald Trump of the United States (US), mainly exchanging in-depth views on the current Korean Peninsula situation and relations between the two countries.

Donald Trump expressed that contacts centering on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue have shown positive progress recently, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has made positive remarks. A high-level meeting between the US and the DPRK is good for all parties. He hopes that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be settled peacefully in the end. The facts have proved that President Xi Jinping is right to adhere to the proposition that the US should conduct dialogue with the DPRK. The US side highly appreciates and attaches great importance to China's significant role in the Korean Peninsula issue, and is willing to continuously intensify communication and coordination with the Chinese side.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China has firmly committed itself to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and safeguarding peace and stability on the Peninsula, and adhered to resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation. At present, the positive changes of the situation on the Korean Peninsula are conducive to putting the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula back on the right track of settlement through dialogue, and also conform to the direction set by the United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning the DPRK. I appreciate Mr. President's positive will to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue through political means, and hope that the US and the DPRK can start contacts and dialogue as soon as possible and strive for positive results. China also hopes that all parties concerned will show more goodwill and avoid doing anything that may affect or interfere with the continuous improving situation on the Peninsula, and endeavor to maintain the current positive momentum. I believe that as long as all parties adhere to the general direction of political and diplomatic settlement, we will surely promote the Korean Peninsula issue to continuously achieve progress in the direction that the international community has been looking forward to.

The two heads of state also exchanged views on China-US relations. Xi Jinping pointed out that I have maintained close contacts with Mr. President since the beginning of this year, and we both agreed that the teams of the two sides should promote wide-range dialogue and cooperation in line with the spirit of seizing every minute in a bid to maintain a sound and stable overall situation for China-US relations. It is hoped that with the joint efforts made by both sides and on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, China and the US will focus on cooperation and control differences, so as to promote win-win economic cooperation between both sides and push forward bilateral relations for greater development in the new year.

Donald Trump congratulated China on the successful holding of the "Two Sessions", and expressed that maintaining close contacts between the two heads of state is very important for the development of US-China relations. The US side attaches high importance to bilateral relations and cooperation, and is willing to make joint efforts with China to push forward US-China relations.

Xi Jinping thanked Donald Trump's good wishes and pointed out that the successful holding of the "Two Sessions" will provide an active impetus for the development of China, as well as its relations with other countries including the US.